Office of Public Affairs

Welcome to the Office of Public Affairs. The office is charged with executing internal and external communications for the Department of Administration, including contact with media, assisting with Kansas Open Records Act requests and coordinating with other agency public information officers. The agency publishes a monthly newsletter, Connected, that is distributed to all Department of Administration employees.

The office also serves as the legislative liaison between the agency and the Kansas Legislature. The office works with legislators, the governor's office and other state agencies on policy matters and provides information to help guide decisions.

In addition, the Office of Public Affairs coordinates the annual South Steps Fridays at the Kansas Statehouse. The event, complete with live music, provided through a partnership with the University of Kansas School of Music and Reach Out Kansas, and a variety of informational displays, provides a venue for visiting the beautiful and historic Kansas Statehouse and kick off the weekend. Learn about exciting and diverse Kansas attractions and organizations. Events are held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every other Friday from the end of May until early August. The events and space for providing information booths are free of charge.

Contact:John Milburn, Director of Legislative and Public Affairs, 785.296.6866

Visiting TopekaIf you are planning a trip to Topeka to visit the Kansas Statehouse or other state office buildings, you can download a copy of the map of the area, including a location of state agencies housed in the Capitol Complex. Enjoy your visit.

News releases

Governor announces Administration Secretary Jim Clark to retire

May 05, 2015

Governor Sam Brownback announced Tuesday that Jim Clark will step down as Secretary of Administration effective the end of June 2015.

“I am grateful for the strong leadership Jim has provided since becoming part of this team,” said Governor Brownback. “He brought about many improvements that have allowed us to operate in a more efficient and businesslike manner.”

Clark is a former Vice President of Kansas Gas Service, now a division of Oneok, Inc. Prior to that he was Vice President at Westar, Inc. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Regis University in Denver and is a Certified Public Accountant.

“It has been an honor and privilege to serve Governor Brownback and the people of the Great State of Kansas,” Clark said. “When I agreed to serve as secretary of Administration for Governor Brownback for two years I had specific tasks that he asked me to initiate. While most plans have been amended several times, the projects are complete or well on their way to implementation. Now is the appropriate time for me to transition back to retirement and bring new leadership to the agency over the coming weeks.”

The mission of the Kansas Department of Administration is to serve the taxpayers of Kansas and state employees with excellent customer service.